How to Use Online Reviews

Posted on 08/26/2008

Have you ever bought something online only to discover that it didn’t live up to your expectations, hopes and dreams? It can be tough to determine quality by looking at a photo that pops up on your computer monitor. That’s why using online product reviews can be a great tool for smart shopping.

ConsumerReports.orgConsumer Reports is an independent non-profit that has been testing and reviewing products since 1936. So if you’re looking for the best affordable Bluetooth headset or you want to see which SUVs do best in crash tests this is a great place to get the answer.

Epinions.comEpinions.com claims to offer unbiased reviews by real people on millions of products and services. Find and read reviews about everything from shavers to restaurants. For instance, if you want to know if Huggies Little Swimmers get the job done, you can quickly read eight online reviews, easily see the product’s rating and even find which website is currently selling them for the best price.

Angie’s List
Picking the perfect plumber or finding the best bug guy can be an ongoing battle. That’s the idea behind Angie’s List. The site features reviews of companies and health care professionals in more than 300 categories. Sign up and search through contractors in your area. Find a good one to hire and then report back on the experience.

Trip Advisor
If you’re looking for both rants and raves on hotels, cruises, attractions or anything travel related, check out TripAdvisor.com. Before you hit the road—or skies—quickly find out the answers to your important questions like whether the Country Music Wax Museum is worth a visit during your trip to Nashville.

Dine.com
Want to know where to find the best BBQ in town? Dine.com has a huge database of unbiased reviews and information for thousands of restaurants. Reviewers are not paid, so you have to figure they either really loved a restaurant or really hated it in order to take the time to write a review about it. See a map of the top rated restaurants closest to you. Have a craving for Mexican? You can even search by type of food.

Comments

Cecelia

Posted on 11.06.09 at 10:34 AM

And blogs are a great resource too! I run a site called www.coolbabykid.com which offers tips and picks for babies and kids (and sometimes moms too). Only product we LOVE make it onto the site. :) There are some other great blogs out there too.

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